The things in the bag mewed and he shifted them around to a more confortable position in his hold. "Almost there, my pets," he crooned, "almost there."
"Now," came the voice of the old tutor, Madrad, through the door to the study. "Count to thrity."
Theodred could hear Eowyn's sigh of boredom. The book lessons had always been hard on her.
"One, two..." she began.
"No, no, no." Madrad scolded. "Not in common."
Theodred knew that Eowyn had known that Madrad had ment for her to say it in the tongue of Rohan not in common. He also knew that she would say what ever it took to make Old Madrad flustered. Theodred figured that it was time to save the tutor before Eowyn did something that would get herself into trouble.
He sung the door open one anounced himself with a booming shout.
"Cousin!" Theodred said playfully, "are not even going to see how your poor kinsmen has suffered during the long days apart?" He put on a look of mock hurt.
Giggling, Eowyn launched herself at him. He carefully lifted the bag out of the way, and looked at the tutor as he got up to leave. "My Lord." Madrad said as he slipped around him. It was widely known around Edoras the closeness of the cousins desite the six years that separated them.
"And look here," Theoderd said after he hugged Eowyn tightly and stepped back. "I've brought you a present."
He gently placed the bag on the floor beside Eowyn and knelt down when she did.
Eowyn looked at him with her large eyes and teodred felt the first bit of hesitation. He wondered if this present was a wise choise to give her. She hadn't had any since her parents had died and there hadn't been any in Edoras, save for the mousers, since Eowyns mother had been a girl and living here.
Before Theodred had left he overheard his father and mother speaking of his dead aunts love of them and how Eowyn was said dto have two of them before her parnts had died. In turth this revelation had surprised Theodred grately. For he found it hard to believe that such a violent little mind, and he ment that in the best possible way, could have a liking of something so completly and totally female. But if what he had heard was true his cousin would either be delighted or would hate him until the end of time for opening up a wound that was still so new, even after these years.
"What is it?" Eowyn asked. She didn't know what it was and was eager to find out what it was.
Reassured with Eowyns eagerness Theodred softly placed the bag on the ground before his cousin. He held his breath as he slowly opened the bag.
For a moment Theodred thought that Eowyn would cry but then her mouth curved hesitantly as she reached out and stroked the head of one kitten with a finger. The soft curve of her mouth bloomed into a grin and Theodred let out the breath he had been holding.
"Oh, Theodred," Eowyn said her happiness reflected in her blue eyes. "They're wonderful!" The two indentical balls of grey fluff began to mew and wrestle around fot the attention of Eowyns fingers. "Thank you."
"THEODRED!" Sounded just then from down the hall. The prince winced as he stood. Eomer's voice ehoed again.
"You welcome, cousin," He walked to the door and said over his shoulder, "it looks like my father wants to see me, I'll talk to you at dinner." With that he left Eowyn to play with her new pets and went to find Eomer and to tell him tht he didn't need to sout Edoras down to find him.